2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

SOUTH AFRICA PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Water as white gold?
The 1956 Water Act is regarded as having applied the rules of the well-watered countries of Europe to
the arid and variable climate of South Africa. The policy and functions of the Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry prior to the 1994 elections were constrained exclusively to water resource
management. The Department did not regard itself as responsible for ensuring that citizens had a
water supply and indeed had no political mandate for such responsibility. The previous regime was
characterised by a marked reluctance to ascribe a value to water resources. An estimated R20 billion
of water resource infrastructure has been built by the Government, for users who do not pay for their
operational, management or capital costs. Investment by the Government was related entirely to
political patronage. In consequence, those who were not allowed to vote were effectively excluded
from Central Government capital spending.
Urban Data
Served by piped water 99%
Access to sewerage 79%
With sewage treatment 10%
Reforming water provision
The Water Services Act (1997) and National Waters Act (1998) have been designed to provide for the
equitable distribution of water resources upon the principles of sustainability and economic prudence.
While water rights remain in Central Government hands, they are now to be ascribed with an
economic worth and can be operated by the private sector.
The National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS) was published in 2002. This envisages resource
reviews every five years and catchment management. The role of PSP has been left to state
governments: it remains too politically contentious to be dealt with. The Department of Water Affairs
and Forestry (DWAF) manages water resources and seeks to ensure that all people have an
adequate water supply and sanitation service. Responsibility for water supply lies with local
governments, in terms of the norms and standards described in the government's policy. Where local
government fails to perform its function, the DWAF is empowered to take direct action to strengthen
local government and temporarily perform the functions of local government.
Between 1994-2001, the post Apartheid Government spent R4.5 billion (€471 million) in cutting the
number of people without access to safe water supplies from 14 million to 7 million. Progress on the
20.8 million without adequate sanitation has only been made since 1999. The Government aims to
provide universal services by 2010. This works out as 25L of safe treated water per person per day at
a maximum distance of 200m from the dwelling. Household connections will not be considered as
part of the basic infrastructure because conventional sewerage is not regarded as viable, thus one
well-constructed Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) per household is the minimum requirement. The 2001
Free Water Policy, guaranteeing 6m 3 of free water per person per month may be populist, but it is
preventing rural investment since cost recovery is unfeasible.
From 1994 to 2001, the Government spent R5,268 million (€573 million) on service extension,
providing water to an additional 7.2 million people. In 2004, the Government approved a R21 billion
(€2.63 billion) National Water Resource Strategy to allow for a more efficient management of the
country's water resources and address water shortages, including building about 20 dams. The
Strategy will also ensure that about 6 million South Africans have access to clean water, while the
backlog of about 18 million people without sanitation is to be cleared by 2008. At the same time,
water budgets at the Ministry for Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) are being devolved to local
government, with the Ministry’s budget falling from ZAR2,608 million (€349 million) in 2003 to
ZAR1,334 million (€178.5 million) in 2004.
Freshwater
Annual availability (1998) 44.8km³
Per capita 1,011m 3
Annual withdrawal (1990) 13.3km 3
Domestic (1990) 17%
Industrial (1990) 11%
Agriculture (1990) 72%
183 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006